Flexible trigger throttle



Jan. 10, 1950 c. E. FITCH 2,493,957

FLEXIBLE TRIGGER THROTTLE Filed Oct. 24, 1945 @wx/@gm l y 15 J.; 'Hwy JZi /ffz Patented `an. 10, 1950 l Clifford E. Fitch, Bryan, ohio, assignorto The corporation of yOhio Arp Equipment Corporation, Bryan, Ohio, a

Application 0cto'berl`24, 1945, Serial No. 624,259

y This invention relates to a flexible"V trigger throttle fora .powertool, including a; portable motor which drives adevice such as, forexample, .adrill or screw-driver...` 1

Such :toolsare usually formed withl a Vpro-v truding-.portion or handleadapted to be? grasped iin' 3' the fhand of the operator 'with aitrigger and an air va1veoperated by the trigger f-nathei handle.' In.'operationf, the device driven lguided by therhandle, and the triggeris pulled-by the foper'ators one I nger. to start the motor,similarly'to the Atrigger of a gun. However, it has beenlfound that sucha tool may buck or-catch Ion'fthe -work,and when using only oneiin'ge'rfv on 1 a trigger which is contacted by theftwo, long `fingers,of the hand, that is, the index and middle viin'gers, Aand furthermoreto 'so form the resto f the handle tf'fat theshorter vfingers naturallyhave 'a good grasp'jthereon.

Itfps a further ,object ,of the invention V1:0 providegatrgger 0f thevtype described wherein'conf- "siderablei pressure must be exerted bytwo "fingers before the trigger is effective to'open the `air valve.,. Ay. 'It isfa'rLobject` of another embodiment fof the invention torequire. -ltwjo-ingerContact oi atrlg- `.ger oithetype. describedwhereinpressure of one Iot-tile two-ngers is efectiveto open the air-valve.

- With. .these 'andv other objects in view, .myninviention consistsinthe construction,.arrangement and combination of the various parts vofmytriggerv throttle:- whereby A the objects contemplated are'jattained,asA hereinafter more fully set forth,

pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the w tion of the toolshowing a second embodiment of .-50

the invention. l

rffeferring specically to thedrawing'in Figure :lic-numeral I!)designates a casing, preferably :formed of'fa plastic material andenclosing fa motor' 9 preferably operated' by compressed-'ain'worlizing'head is shown at I I', for holding 'adrill or'scr'ew-driver.`Since the motor'and head form part ofzfthe presentinventiongfadetaile'df'description of these parts is unnecessary.

.6 claims. (01..,74-503) grasped by the operator. As will beapparent,the handlepermits vthe operator to solidly grip lthe tool-and abroad at trigger I3 is positioned near the forward top portion of thehandle I2 so that the index and middle fingers of the operator Willcontact the trigger I3 when grasped.--Thetig` ger I3 is received in asocket AIII and"-two"fa`lrl'y strong springs I5 and I6 adjacent theouter edge of the trigger I 3-urge/the trigger-outwardly." The `triggerI3 is loosely pivoted'by` al pin tI'I'f Va plunger or rod I8 whichentersa recess I9 'on lie innersurfaceo-the trigger and is spac'd'a" on.siderable distance from the walls of thereces's'. The'other end of therod- -Illis connectedt valve'ZI for'controlling a Supply of compressedair which enters the tool through apassag` 22 and is conveyed to themotorrthrough, passages :aand 24. i' i When the operator grasps the'tooland presses the trigger, he must use two ngers to apply'pre'sfsure onboth sides of the rod I8, as otherwise'the trigger will rotate aboutpivot pin I1 until rone or the other edge engages the wall of theYsocket I4. Obviously the air valve 2I will not open cause nolongitudinal movement is impartedjto the rod I8. Therefore a rm grip bythe entire hand on the handle I2 is insured to depressi/the triggeragainst the action of both the springs I5 andIB. y1,-12 Referring now toFig. 2 for a detailed descrip,- tion of the second embodiment of myinvention, like numbersv are applied to like parts in the iilzstembodiment. In this embodiment, the trigger I3 is provided with twoslots or passages 3| and 324 which extend completely through the triggerin a horizontal direction adjacent the springs SI5 and I6. Through pins33 and 34 extend through the. passages 3l and 32 and are anchored intheside Walls 35 of the socket I4. The through pins engagethe walls of thepassages 3| and 32 nearest .the handle "|2.- In this embodiment, theindex and' middle ngers of the operator naturally grasp the trigger-13;but pressuretapplied` by only' one nger will operate therairfvalv'eZI-'lbecas'e the through pins prevent rotation of th'e trigger aboutthel pivot' pin` I'Vfwitho'ut depressing'n'e sideof the trigger andmoving the rod' I8.'A 1'I'he passages 3l and 32 are sulciently largethat suflcienthorizontal rnoven'fientY is affordedY to dei press the'Arod I8 and open Athe air'valve 2 I'. I -It'i's obvious that otherdevices than an fair valve' and a compressed air-operated moto'mfay becontrolled by the improved-'triggerand handle arrangement." Forexample,"aneleotric'al cntact and anelectricmotor might be4sl'ibstitutel lfothefair valve andv'compressed air motor.` M l ,Sonie'changes maybe Ymade in the' construe'- tin'f'ad 'ari'all"g'ellfielii'flof 'the parts; =0f Y' my trigger The casing I0 is provided with ahandleI2 to be lo throttle without departing from the real Spirit 1. Injuxtaposition to a handle to be grasped by the hand of an operator, aflexible trigger throttle for a power tool comprising a trigger, saidtrigger being of such size and being so positioned that the index andmiddle fingers of the operator naturally rest thereon when the tool isgrasped,- a device to be moved by the trigger, means vfor .in using thetool.

' i2. `In a juxtaposition to a handle to be ,grasped by the hand of anoperator, a'fiexibletrigger throttle for a power tool comprising atrigger, saidV trigger being of such size and being so positioned thatthe index and middle fingers of the operator naturally rest thereon whenthe tool is grasped, a device to be moved by the trigger, a plunger forconnecting the central portion of the trigger to said device, a pivotalconnection'between the trigger and the plunger, stops in said handle forthe edges of the trigger and separate resilient meansV located betweensaid handle andthe trigger and in spaced vsymmetrical relation to saidpivoted connection for urging the trigger and the plunger against theforce applied by the operator in using the tool, said stops being sopositioned that if pres'- sure isapplied to overcome the force of oneoisaidresilient means only, the trigger strikes one of the stops before itdepresses said plunger. Y,

3.'In juxtaposition to a handle to be grasped bythe hand of an operator,a flexible trigger throttle for a power tool comprising a trigger,said'trigger being of such size' and being so .positioned that the indexand middle fingers of the operator naturally rest thereon when the ktoolis grasped, a'l device to be operated by said trigger, Ya plungerf forconnecting the central portion ofthe trigger to'said device, a pivotalconnection between the trigger andthe plunger, said 'handle having asocket for' receiving the .trigger and including stops for the edges ofthe trigger and separate resilient means located `between said handleand the trigger and. in spaced Vsymmetrical relation to said pivotedconnection for urging the trigger and the plunger against the. forceapplied-by the ,operator in using the tool. said stops being sopositioned that if pres,- sure is applied to overcome the force of oneof saidresilient means only, the trigger strikes one of the stops beforeit depresses saidplunger..` Y v 4.7In juxtaposition to a handle to begrasped by-V the'hand of an operator,l a flexible trigger throttle for apower tool comprising a trigger, said/trigger being of such size andbeing-,so positioned that the index and middle fingers .of k,theoperator naturally rest thereon when the tool is grasped, a device to beoperated by the trigger, a plunger for connecting the central portion ofthe trigger to said device, a pivotal connection between the trigger andthe plunger, said handle having a socketfor at least partially receivingsaid trigger, separate resilient means located between said handle andthe trigger and `above and below said pivoted connection for urging thetrigger and the plunger against vthe force applied by the operator inusing the tool, a horizontal slot formed in the trigger adjacent eachkof the resilient means, a pin extending through each slot and anchoredat both ends in the walls of said socket, said pins being normally heldin l0` engagement with one portion of the slots by the action'of theresilient means, whereby if pressure is applied to overcome the force ofone of said resilient means only, the trigger pivots about the pinadjacent the other resilient means and motion is transmitted to saidplunger to operate said device.- f

5. In" juxtaposition to a handle to be grasped by the hand of anoperator, a flexible trigger throttle for a power toolcomprising atrigger, said trigger being of such size and beingsogpositioned that theindex and middle fingers-of the operator naturally rest thereon when thetool -is grasped, a device to be operated by said trigger, a plunger forconnecting the central portion '-of, the trigger to said device, apivotal connection between the trigger and the plunger, separateresilient means located between said handle'and the trigger and aboveand below said pivotal connection for urging the trigger and the plunger1 against the force applied by the operator in using the tool, ahorizontal slot formed in the trigger adjacent each of the resilientmeans, a pin extending through each slot and anchored at Vboth ends inksaid handle,V saidV pins being normally held in engagement with oneportion ofthe slots byY the action of the resilient means, whereby ifpressure is applied to overcome the force ofA one of said resilientmeans only, the trigger pivots about the pin adjacent the otherresilient means Vand motion is transmitted to said plunger to operatesaid device. V 6. ,Inrjuxtaposition to a handle to'be grasped vby thehand of an operator, a ilexible'triggr throttle for a power toolcomprising a` trigger, said trigger being of such Vsize and being sopo'- lsitioned that the index and 'middle ngerso the operatornaturally'rest thereon' Whenfth'e Ytool is grasped, a device to beoperat'edfby said trigger, arod disposed centrally of the trigger f forconnecting the 'trigger to said deificeymsai'rl,l rod being looselypivoted to the trigger,` and ref Vsilie'nt means comprising `two springslocated beftween said handle and theV trigger for urging the.

ltrigger and the connecting rod against-'theforce applied-bythe operatorin using the tool, said springs being so positioned that they areapproximately'under those portions of the trigger which are'co'ntactedby said index and middle fingers.

CLIFFORD Yn. Errori. REFERENCES CITED I v YThe following references areof record the file of this patent:

i UNITEDV STATES PATENTS Kahler Apr; 17,1 1945

